Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Question 1: Do you and JFJ discuss player personnel and what type of players you think this team needs to win?

Last season, it was explicitly clear that Maurice had no confidence whatsoever in Aubin and played the snot out of Raycroft (despite getting sub-par results from your 'tender of choice).

No alternate for Aubin was ever found, no competent back-up was brought in to spell Raycroft or even stop the bleeding during one of the teams' bigger losing streaks. Aubin stayed nailed to the bench while Raycroft laid down on the ice watching puck after puck sail over his left shoulder.

I'd suggest that the failure to address the back-up goaltending situation/ provide some relief for Raycroft was a huge factor in missing the playoffs by a single point.

Question 1A: Can you comment on that without using a punchline? No, I'm not kidding...I'd like a straight answer...

Question 2: When you and JFJ discuss player personnel and the type of players you think this team needs to win, is the answer ever Wozniewski?

I'd like to suggest that Wozniewski is the anti-Aubin.

He's clearly not a competent blue liner (a minus 1 tonight, on for two goals against; minus 4 in his last six games; leading the team in minor penalties by a wide margin and he's horrific on the PK with a SHGA/60 approaching -12) yet, unlike Aubin, Maurice plays the snot out of him (20 minutes tonight; 17 minutes a game on average this season).

Question 3: Why does Wozniewski continue to see time on the PK?

Question 4: You have six defencemen, why on earth was Wozniewski on the ice in a tie game with one minute to go?

Question 5: If you continue to get these results, don't you think it's time to take a different approach to player personnel?

Question 6: In a 3 on 3 in OT, what was the thinking behind icing two of your slower skating players (Antropov, McCabe) to start the extra frame?